One of the questions I get asked most often when people see my printed photos or my Project Life pages is: How do you make your collages? The answer is I use Adobe Lightroom’s Print Module to create and print collages. It is super-easy and magical after you’ve set up your templates! And setting up the templates doesn’t take too long either. It’s so easy and time-saving that I think it may be the best kept secret in scrapbooking!
I’ve created several videos below, showing you how to create different types of collages within Lightroom. Please watch them in sequence because they build upon the previous ones. Keep in mind that I’m just trying to give the information in a succinct way. I didn’t do any voiceovers after the fact. All the audio of me talking is recorded through the microphone as I was doing the video screencast tutorials. So just be prepared for a few “ums” and “ahs”. ;-)
The first video shows you how to set up your printer to print the right size and the right settings from Lightroom. Please keep in mind that this set up is specific to my printer. (I have the Canon Pixma MG5320. It is discontinued, but a very similar one is the MG6620.) Your printer may be different, but the dialog boxes and choices hopefully will be very similar to mine.
Video: Setting Up Your Printer To Print From Lightroom
You can see it in higher resolution at Youtube.
The second video shows you how to create a 4x6 collage with two photos. It also shows you how to save your collage as a template so that you can use it over and over again with different photos!
Without an outside border.
With an outside border.
And in a square format.
Video: Creating Photo Collages in Lightroom Part 1: 4x6 with 2 Photos
See it in higher resolution at YouTube.
The 3rd video shows you how to create 4x6 sheet of 4-photo and 6-photo collages.
Video: Creating Photo Collages in Lightroom Part 2: 4x6 with 4 Photos & 6 Photos
Watch it in high resolution at YouTube.
The 4th video shows you how to create a 8.5x11 collage with 12 square photos. You can adapt it to create other collages for printing on the 8.5x11 sheet.
Video: Creating Photo Collages in Lightroom Part 3: 8.5x11 with 12 Square Photos
Watch it in high resolution on YouTube.
If you’ve made it through all of the above, then I’ve got a free template for you to download! This Lightroom template is for a sheet of 8.5x11 collage with 12 square photos, like above.
Download the Lightroom template here.
Save it to a folder of your choosing on your computer. Not sure how to import the template and use it in Lightroom? I’ve got a video tutorial for THAT!
Video: How To Import and Use a Collage Print Template in Lightroom
Watch it in high resolution on YouTube.
And those are my tutorials on making collages in Lightroom! Hope you learned something that makes scrapbooking and Project Life’ing faster and easier. Let me know in the comments if you have questions.
Thanks for stopping by! ♥
You have been pinned! Thanks for the tutorial!
ReplyDeleteYour amazing thank you!!
ReplyDeleteChristine, thank you for sharing your knowledge and template. I'm fairly new to LR and slowly learning what a powerful program this can be.
ReplyDeleteYou are da bomb.com, lol! I have been wanting to do the full sheet of photos forever! Thank you SO much for taking the time to make these tutorials!
ReplyDeleteThis is so totally Pin-Worthy! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, everyone!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your tutorials!! I'm new to Lightroom and I was getting very frustrated with printing!!! I also purchased a new Canon printer and to add to my frustration could not find the settings you were referring to (I use a Mac). Turned out I was using Apple's drivers, not Canon's drivers for my printer. Once I figured this out and switched I was able to access the setup menu you were using and change the extension. Crossing my fingers that this helps and super excited to try the collage :)
ReplyDeleteThank you! This was so helpful!
ReplyDelete